Skip to content
The Ultimate Egg
← All Animals
Fish

Sockeye Salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

About

An anadromous fish that spends its adult life in the Pacific Ocean before returning to its natal freshwater stream to spawn and die. The journey can cover thousands of kilometers. They turn a brilliant crimson red during spawning.

Their Eggs

Translucent orange-red spherical eggs, about 6mm in diameter, deposited in gravel nests (redds) in cold, clear streams. The eggs are prized as ikura in Japanese cuisine.

Egg Size Comparison

Chicken 55mm
Sockeye Salmon 6mm
10% of chicken egg

Fun Fact

Salmon eggs (roe) are one of the most nutritionally dense foods on earth — packed with omega-3 fatty acids, astaxanthin, and vitamin D. A single female sockeye produces up to 4,000 eggs, but on average fewer than 2 will survive to adulthood.